HYDERABAD:  Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC)president and Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Congress Legislative Party leader Bhatti Vikramarka have asked Director General of Police (DGP) Mahender Reddy to withdraw the “false charges” filed against a tribal Sarpanch Sodi Chalapathi of Puligundla gram panchayat of Bhadradri Kothagudem district. 

Speaking to the media persons after submitting a representation to the DGP on Tuesday, CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka said the police had taken the ST-Koya sarpanch Chalapathi into custody on August 8. The police claimed that he was acting as a Maoist courier and transporting medicines, money and essentials by threatening innocent people.   

“As per information available with us, the sarpanch may have unknowingly helped Maoist cadres. He should not be punished if Maoists came to his village and he unknowingly or under pressure helped them,” Bhatti stated. He demanded that the charges on the sarpanch be withdrawn and he be released immediately.